Another day, another attack on the American economy from our own administration. This time, it’s coming from US Fish & Wildlife, which may issue a ruling that could wreck the West Texas oil industry.
Called the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard, it is being considered for inclusion on the federal Endangered Species listing by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A public rally to oppose this move is being sponsored by the Permian Basin Petroleum Association on Tuesday, April 26 at Midland Center beginning at 5 p.m. Congressman Mike Conaway will speak, as will Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson; other public officials have been invited.
“We are very concerned about the Fish and Wildlife Service listing,” said Ben Shepperd, president of the PBPA, noting the service also has proposed listing the Lesser Prairie Chicken next year. “The wolf at the door is the lizard; we’re concerned listing it would shut down drilling activity for a minimum of two years and as many as five years while the service determines what habitat is needed for the lizard. That means no drilling, no seismic surveys, no roads built, no electric lines.”
The move would impact activity in Andrews, Crane, Gaines, Ward and Winkler counties in Texas and Chaves, Eddy, Lea and Roosevelt counties in New Mexico.
Not only would the move impact oil and gas operations but agriculture, Shepperd noted, shutting down agricultural activities like grazing and farming — “anything that disturbs the habitat.” While the industry is perfectly willing to undertake conservation measures to protect the lizard’s habitat, he said, naming it an endangered species “would shut down activity and be devastating not only to Permian Basin economies but to the national economy. We are the one bright spot month after month; in our economic turnaround, the main driver is the oil and gas industry.”
The concern is, he said, that the Fish and Wildlife Service lacks enough data to conclude that the tiny lizard is endangered and is basing its action on flawed methodology. “They didn’t spend enough time looking for them or the right technique to find them,” he said.
There is no shortage of lizards in West Texas, but there is a shortage of jobs and there is a shortage of oil at the moment, and food prices are going up too. The Obama folks evidently care more about a lizard, which in all likelihood isn’t endangered at all, than about jobs and the economy. I have to say, Texans are getting more than fed up with all the hits we’re taking from this bunch in Washington.
It’s good to see Land Commissioner Patterson is taking this issue on. He’s a take no prisoners sort. But I agree with Ed — Congress will have to raise this issue too. Rep. Conaway is great but he’ll need some help from Rep. Quico Canseco, Lamar Smith and some of the others in the Texas delegation. This is an opportunity for Democrat Rep. Gene Green to step up too.
Shouldn’t we first determine the natural-born citizenship status of those lizzards? If they can’t prove their citizenship rights to be constitutionally protected by an acceptable degree of heavenly intervention and proclamation, then drill everywhere you spot one of them thar little lizzards. On the other hand, I’m betting they’re illegal alliens and can simply be deported back to where they first came from….case closed!
Those lizards are too small to worth making into boots. Gila monsters, though, are the best looking things I can imagine walking in.
This is another ploy by the environmentlists to destroy what’s left of America. This needs to be opposed with every means available. They’ve been doing the same thing here in Wyoming with numerous critters. The claim the sage grouse is being endangered by oil & gas exploration, yet we see them sitting in the shade of pump jack and tanks all the time.
I wonder how they get out to the oil field to check on these critters? Horse and buggy? If they get injured, would they want the doctors and hospital to treat them without the use of plastics?
These people are nuts and have no concept of how much our society depends on petroleum. Idiots.
There is a proposed nuclear waste dump in Andrews County, on the NM border, in the smack-dab middle of this area, with very few people, but with part of the Ogalla Aquifer underneath that some say extends into eight states.
Anyone taking bets on whether the nuclear waste has a lot more to do with this than oil? Though there is some oil production in the area, production out there has been steadily declining for more than twenty years. It’s not like that part of West Texas is a hot-bed of new oil production like the Gulf of Mexico . . .
“There is a proposed nuclear waste dump in Andrews County, on the NM border, in the smack-dab middle of this area”
Great. We’ll probably end up with mutant, 30 foot endangered lizards that are protected by federal law.
That would make a great Sci Fi channel series! Of course somehow the lizards have to be repun licans. not sure how that could be managed.